


Freaks

by MidoriFlowersEwe



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Alfred is a prince, Arthur is a warlock, Demon!Gilbert, Hungary is an elf, M/M, Magic is outlawed, Magic vs Non Magic, Multi, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 18:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10471518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriFlowersEwe/pseuds/MidoriFlowersEwe
Summary: Alfred is the prince of a Kingdom where anyone magical, a 'freak' is punished by death. Arthur is a warlock who has suffered because of these laws, but for some reason he takes up the position of Alfred's servant. Will Arthur be able to hide his powers? Will Alfred accept him if he finds out? But there's darker secrets lurking,deeper trouble brewing and Loyalty being questioned.





	1. Chapter 1

All throughout the ages, there have been people who are special, people who are not like the others. I'm not talking about those who act different, I'm talking about people who are different. The freaks.

At least, that's what they call them here, in my kingdom. Freaks aren't welcome here, that Law was set down by my Grandfather's father and so, if anyone is found to be a 'freak' there executed regardless of age, position or gender. Because all freaks are evil.

What is a freak exactly? Well I'm not too sure, but they look like any ordinary person but they can do things that no ordinary person could.. Magic.  
My father hates freaks the most, he's the King, King Samuel the second. I'm Prince Alfred, and I'll be king one day, when I'm bigger! when I am, the freaks better watch out, because I'll protect the people of my Kingdom no matter!  
_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" Who's that?" A small boy with spiky blonde hair, thick eyebrows and acid green eyes asked, he stood on his tip-toes to get a better view of the people milling below, his expression a mixture of curiosity and disdain. 

" Goddammit Arthur, you gonna ask who every geezer at this royal procession is?" Gilbert, His white haired companion replied. He spoke with a distinct accent, as the red-eyed boy had still not completely mastered the language of this area. Arthur and Gilbert, along with Elizaveta, were stood at the top of the kingdom's large clock-tower watching another one of the royal parades. The three were all classed at 'freaks' and so, if their powers were revealed, they'd surely be killed. There were many children like this throughout the kingdom- With their parents executed, and the kingdom surrounded only by a wild, dangerous forest, too deadly to live in, the children were forced to survive on the streets of the city, attempting to hide their true nature (which isn't exactly easy). Gilbert was the leader of a gang of such children- the freaks. They hid in the shadows, and stole food to eat, protected one another. It was a tough life, but at least they all had each other, the band of street urchins.

" keep down you two idiots! If they catch us we're dead!" Elizaveta hissed, " you know what they'll do to us if they find us?"

" I'd like to see them try take me down," Gilbert smirked, taking of his worn out hat to reveal a pair of horns, as red as his eyes.

" Put them away!" Eliza scolded, flicking one of them, resulting in the two getting into a scuffle- Gilbert and Elizaveta fought at the drop of a hat- literally. Arthur, the smallest of the trio rested his head on his hand, they had to hide in this damn clock tower, because any royal event meant there'd be guards everywhere.. He just hoped the rest of his gang had gotten away in time, especially Peter..  
" What's this stupid damn event for anyway?" Arthur asked, glancing over at the other two, he couldn't help the amused grin that crept onto his face at the sight of the other two rolling around on the floor. 

" Prince Alfred's tenth birthday." Eliza replied, while struggling to keep Gilbert in a headlock. The brunette girl's own hat had come askew, revealing Eliza's personal abnormality- pointy elf ears. " Seem's like they're throwing a massive party for the little brat. "  
Alfred sat on one of the carriages, in between the King and Queen- his parents. The boy was grinning happily, waving to the crowd even as the crown kept slipping over his sky blue eyes. The prince was wearing a deep red cloak, adorned with Royal blue gem-stones. Overall the outfit looked far to grand and a little uncomfortable for a young boy.

" I've never had a Birthday party." Arthur said nonchalantly, so used to the other's fighting he barley spared them a glance.  
" Do you even know how old you are?" Gilbert asked, finally breaking free from Eliza's grip, a scowl on his face. Arthur shrugged.  
" I think I'm about.. 10.. 11..12 Maybe." He replied. Even before he ended up a street rat, Arthur's birthdays where still never celebrated- it just wasn't something his family did, but they still counted them, however he'd lost track over the last few years exactly how old he was.

" When I take over this place! I'll throw. You all an awesome birthday party!" Gilbert yelled, the boy was convinced, once his powers as a half-demon grew he'd finally be able to kill the king and take over the land.  
" Thanks Gil!" Arthur said with a grin, as the older boy ruffled his hair. Eliza just rolled eyes, but smiled fondly.  
Suddenly, footsteps where heard, storming up the winding staircase of the tower. The trio exchanged brief alarmed glances with one another before each taking their own separate hiding places, just as the guards burst in.  
" Search this place well- it seems an excellent place for one of those freaks to hide." The commander said, his voice was gruff, and from where he was crpuching, Arthur could just about make out his long blonde hair- so this was chief Germania, head of the royal guard. He's said to have sent more 'freaks' to their death than even the king himself. Gilbert squeezed his eyes shut in a rare display of fear- Chief Germania was the only on of the guards that seemed to frightened him.. The Albino refused to even walk across a street when the chief was near, even when Gilbert was disguised.

The Guards searched the room to no avail, the trio hid well- they had been hiding most of their life after all. It seemed as though they were safe, until another set of footsteps where heard, accompanied by the sound of rattling chains, and a child crying.

" We found this Brat hiding in one of the cellars " The newcomer- another guard said, laughing " I thought he looked suspicious cause of these damn markings on his arms ! And he started doing some freaky magic stuff! Ha! I soon got him"

Arthur's heart skipped a beat, he looked at his own markings tattooed across his arm that marked him as a sorcerer. He knew that the younger warlocks couldn't control their powers, especially if they were scared, that's why, even if their powers weren't physically obvious like a demon or an elf, they were easy enough to catch.  
But it couldn't be.. They couldn't of caught him  
The young sorcerer chanced a glance down, and his worst suspicions were confirmed. They had Peter.

The blonde looked over at Gilbert and at Elizaveta. Both of them gave him looks of pity. These weren't just any guards they were elite ones, and a trio of rag-tag children, with hardly any control over their powers would do little against them. Arthur knew this.. But still..  
The last thing Arthur saw before jumping down from his hiding place, and attacking the guards, was Eliza mouthing the word 'no'.

Arthur had the element of surprise on his side, when he came crashing down on the guards, while casting a fire spell.   
"Incendio!" He roared, causing flames to shoot up from the floor, setting fire to one of the red white and blue Clad knights.Chief Germania however seemed unfazed, the same slightly irritated expression plastered onto his stoic face.  
" B-Big brother?" Peter gasped, tears still dripping down his face. The boy was about six, and greatly resembled Arthur, except his hair was darker, and his eyes where ocean blue, rather than sea green.  
The blonde haired wizard took advantage of the confusion, and ran across the room towards his little brother, since the man in charge of guarding him had made a beeline for the water-barrel.  
Almost there.. I can Make it..  
Arthur suddenly felt something slash across his back. He cried and in pain, ans whipped round, only to come face to face with Chief Germania. Arthur fell to the floor, the wound from the Chief's sword searing his back, it didn't seem to be bleeding a lot- Germania had made a very clean cut. The young Warlock pulled himself up again, only to be slammed to the floor again by the head knight's powerful punch.Gilbert and Elizveta watched in horror. They both wanted to help, but knew they couldn't. Gilbert might of tried, but then thought of the other kids in the gang, the ones who depended on him for food, the ones who without him would starve.   
Besides.. He knew he couldn't face chief Germania, not now.

Arthur struggled to pull himself up a second time, Peter was shuffling towards him, the chains weighing him down. They were iron, a material that was effectively magic proof, and blocked any sort of power . The older Wizard was about to cast another spell, when the youngest of the guards- one who was now sporting an array of painful-looking burns, struck Arthur across the face with his mallet.  
The blonde smacked the floor with such force, one of the planks of wood cracked. Arthur felt a severe, dull pain, then numbness, he could feel his conscience fading, he struggled to fight it, but his vision was fading. The boy was vaguely aware that he was being handcuffed, just before his world slipped into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur awoke, his head still throbbing with pain. He felt disorientated, the young warlock wasn't sure were he was, all he knew was that it was cold, dark, and he was chained with iron. It took a moment for his vision to focus properly, and his memories of his capture returned.  
"Peter!" He gasped, sitting himself up so fast he gave himself a headrush. Where was his brother? What was going to happen to them? Where was he?

"Are you alright?" Arthur looked up, seeing a young boy with wispy chin-length blonde hair, and large haunting indigo eyes. The oddest thing about the boy though was his clothes, they were deep purple in colour, and made of fine material- they were the clothes of royalty, but what was a royal doing in a cell?

"Yes, I've been knocked out and forcibly brought here, but I'm just dandy." Arthur said bitterly, " Who're you"

" I'm Matthew". The boy said simply looking at Arthur with those large indigo eyes. " You're going to die soon"

"What!?" Arthur spluttered, taken aback by the boy's bluntness "Who do you think you are?"

"Like I said, I'm Matthew." The boy sighed, plopping himself opposite Arthur on the cold, damp stone floor. "Your an odd one."

"If your not going to help me, then shut up!" Arthur shouted, the feeling of frustration welling up inside him.  
Suddenly, a sword collided with Arthur's cell creating a loud clanging noise, shocking the two boys.  
"Oi Freak!" The Guard yelled, glaring at Arthur "Stop talking to yourself, you damn nut job"  
Arthur looked around, confused 'couldn't they see he was talking to Matthew?'. Then it suddenly occurred to him.  
" Matthew, are you a ghost?" Arthur said quietly.  
" No!" The spirit boy replied " My father- the king! Took me down here one day, I fell asleep and when I woke. up I couldn't leave the cellar and everyone had forgotten me- But Daddy's coming back for me one day!"  
The wizard sighed softly to himself, looking at the spirit in front of him with pity. So, Alfred wasn't the Kings only child? Matthew must of been a prince who'd possessed magic and had been executed by his own father as a result of it. Well, at least you could never accuse good old King Sam of showing favoritism.   
Arthur had always been able to see things that other humans, and even other freaks couldn't, and he often couldn't tell ghosts apart from normal humans.

"Sorry, my mistake." Arthur said, trying to placate the other. "but do you know any way out?! Anyway I could find my brother? A way out of these iron chains?"

"I do know a way, but only one." The boy said slowly, a small smile playing on his lips, Arthur waited eagerly for the answer, Matthew leaned over and whispered it in his ear. "After they execute you, then you'll get to leave"

"No!" Arthur yelled "There has to be another way! There has to be! I have a brother, he needs to be saved!" Matthew just smiled and floated away." Matthew! Matthew come back! No don't leave me!"

"Shut up! Last warning, freak!" The guard growled again, his tone threatening, he whacked the bars with his sword menacingly.

Arthur hung his head forward in defeat. He was cold, and hungry, his wounds from the sword still hurt, his body hurt. He felt so weak without his magic, and he couldn't even save his brother. He just wanted it to all be a bad dream, he wanted to see Gilbert again, as well as Elizabetha, Lovino, Romania, Antonio, and those five light haired boys from the North. He wanted more than anything though, to see his real family again. His mother and brothers, especially Peter. But he knew it was probably impossible.  
Unable to stop himself, Arthur cried like the child he was. He cried until his eyes stung like the rest of his body, and until he know longer felt sorrow, just a hopeless feeling of emptiness. He tried to escape, tried to use magic with all his might, he even tried to thrash around and pull the chains out the wall, but it was all in vain and only left him exhausted.

It felt to Arthur as if he'd spent an eternity in that cell, but in reality it was only a few hours when one of the Guard's came in, and dragged him out by the chain, which by now where cutting deep into his hands.  
It seemed all the other Freaks were being pulled out from their cells by brute force. There were old men, and children even younger than Peter among the prisoners, as well as creatures too, centaurs, ogres and even demons were there, all shackled up.  
'So it's time for execution..' Arthur thought, trying to suppress the fear rising within him- he could at least act brave!

"Arthur!" It was Peter, yelling through the crowd, tears streaming down his face, he looked the very definition of terrified. " Arthur what's happening?"  
The older blonde wizard forced a smile for his brother as they were dragged along, luckily the two were pretty close in the row of prisoners  
"Don't worry, the other's will be coming soon, to get us out of here." Arthur whispered, low enough for the guards not to hear. " Honestly Peter, there's no need to cry, chin up, stiff upper lip!"  
Peter's tear stained face lit up " Really, will they really save us?" He said.  
Arthur nodded, turning away, unable to look his brother in the eye. He just wanted to see Peter happy in the last few moments. He didn't want his little brother to be scared.   
" Were are they taking us?" Peter asked.  
".. To another cell" Arthur replied, keeping his fake smile up. He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince himself or Peter anymore " They're not going to kill us! They wouldn't do that- it's all going to be fine."  
Peter nodded, he still looked afraid, but more at ease "Whatever happens- I'll be okay if I'm with my brother!" He said.  
"Me too" Arthur said, at least he and Peter were together. Even if they usually argued all the time the two were brothers close as any.

The freaks were all lined up outside a large iron door waiting their turn to enter. They were all being pushed in five at a time. Nobody came out.  
"When are we going to be rescued?" Peter asked for about the tenth time.  
"Any time now." Arthur replied, he just couldn't face telling Peter the truth, he wanted to brother to still have hope, Arthur still wanted to have hope himself. He felt like all his youth had been snatched away from him. He can't die yet! Gilbert promised he'd throw a birthday party for him..  
It seemed like an eternity, yet still not long enough, when He and Peter were finally dragged into the courtroom.  
"You, subjects, have been accused of witchcraft. How do you plead!?" A voice boomed, Arthur looked up and saw non other than the queen herself peering down at him, her ice blue eyes boring into his, looking at him as if he were a piece of dirt- or something worse than dirt. Arthur shivered, that look of pure hatred from a stranger wasn't something he could get used to.  
There were about ten other freaks all shoved into the courtroom with him. Some were old, and others were young children like him and Peter. Each of them mumbled there pleas of  
'not guilty' their voices shaking and terrified.  
"So, non of you wish to admit to your crimes." The Queen asked, looking down at them all. She was a slender woman with long platinum blonde hair that tumbled down her back, her pale skin and delicate features had her known throughout the kingdom for being a great beauty, but right now the look of pure loathing on her face made her seem like the ugliest thing Arthur had ever witnessed.  
"Aha! That's what a a freak would say!" Hissed the Queen. "All of you have proof against you- are you calling the royal guard liars? That's a offence punishable by DEATH!"

"That isn't fair at all!" An indignant voice cried out, Arthur turned in horror only to see it was Peter who had called out. Peter had always been outspoken and he always seemed to pick bad moments to speak out. But out all of the bad moments to speak out, this was by far the worst.  
"Do my ears deceive me? Did a somebody- a Freak at that- just speak out to I, the queen of this land?" The Queen said, her voice was cool and calm, but laced with venom and disgust. She peered down at Peter for a moment through her ice-cold eyes. "Execute him."  
Peter was grabbed, and dragged over to the chop-block. A man with a dark mask stood nearby, holding an axe that was once sharp, but now had rusted with age. Fresh blood splattered it, and old blood stained it. The execution area itself was no better. Peter was forced by strong hands to kneel down in the puddle of blood from previous executions. The smell of blood and death was heavy in the air, making Peter feel a strong sense nausea.  
"No! He's innocent!" Arthur called out frantically. His little brother was about to be killed in front of him. "It was me! I did the magic and blamed it on him! Kill me not him!"

The Queen smiled at him, although her face held no happiness nor kindness "Don't worry. I'll be sure to kill you next."  
Peter's head was forced onto the chopping block. The weight of what was about to happen finally hit him, his eyes welled up with tears and he began to scream "Arthur! Arthur you Gilbert would save us!"  
The older warlock hissed under his breath he could feel fear radiating of himself, the power of this terror was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. "P-please, no! He's innocent!"  
The Queen ignored him. In one terrible moment, the executioner raised the axe, and slammed it down into the young boy's neck.  
"No!" Arthur called out. Peter's screams carried on echoing around the dungeon but the boy himself was no more.  
Arthur dropped to his knee's. He couldn't even think straight, his head whirled around with fear, pain, despair. He was vaguely aware of the intense burning in his wrists, probably from the handcuffs. Peter's last words stung like a nest of angry wasps "you lied!"  
"What a pathetic display of emotion." The Queen said speaking to Arthur. "He wasn't even human."  
Something snapped. The burning in Arthur's wrists was almost overpowering. He stood up and looked the Queen straight on, his green eyes burning with pure rage.  
"You know who isn't human?" Arthur hissed. He could feel a intense power surging through him, destroying the restrictions of the iron hand cuffs. "People like you!"  
The power within him reached it's peak. He felt his rage turn into something physical- a fire. His entire body was submerged in a searing, burning pain. He felt the iron cuffs melt of him. And in an instant, it was over.  
He looked up and gasped at what he saw. All the guard in the dungeon lay there completely burned to a crisp. Their flesh melted and raw, exposing their blackened innards. Even his fellow freaks had suffered the same fate, they too were burned.  
Arthur breathed heavily, he suddenly felt overcome with fatigue, all his previous anger had left him, leaving him only with a dull sense of despair. He glanced down at his wrists- were the iron handcuffs once were. They were burnt terribly, flesh hung of them, melted and raw. But that was the least of his worries now.  
Instinctively, without hesitation, he ran over to Peter. Peter his little brother whom he'd sworn he'd protect when his first home was tore apart by magic-haters.  
"Peter! Wake up" Arthur said, tears forming in his eyes- he'd just done something impossible, right, by using magic through iron and killing so many. He could do something impossible again and bring Peter back, right?  
"Peter, stop joking around now! Get up." Arthur said sheer desperation leaking into his voice. Peter couldn't be dead, he was his little brother. The Blond didn't know how long he was there, crying, shouting, begging. He tried and tried to summon that power again but he was exhausted- he felt like something was blocking him. Finally, after he was physically, mentally, and in every other way exhausted, he stood up.  
A desperate plan was already forming in the young boys head- 'I've already done the impossible, right. I used magic with iron touching me, I can do it again. I can bring back Peter. I just need to learn how'. That was the day Arthur vowed to become powerful, and bring Peter back by whatever means. That was his sole reason to exist now.  
Arthur soon made it out the dark dungeon, he didn't bother to count how many he'd just killed, but it was over a hundred at least. Freaks and Guards alike lay burnt in the stone passageways. He'd never felt like a monster before now.   
Pretty soon the blonde made it out- the cellar wasn't locked, the ones suppose to be guarding it lay dead. The light from outside assaulted his eyes painfully, he pulled his hood over his eyes and began walking through the courtyard, and the corridors and the gardens. He didn't know where he was going, he just kept walking around and around and around.   
"Hey you!" The sound of the voice made him jump, he whipped round only to come face to face with a blue eyed blond haired boy, with fine silk clothes on. It was non other than Prince Alfred himself. "I've seen you walking around in circles for ages, Dude, what you lost?"  
Arthur frowned- did the idiot Prince confuse him for someone called Dude? He didn't know what to say. "Err yes."  
"Oh wow! What's that accent? It's great! 'Er Yes'!" The Prince intimated jokingly, before laughing. "So- where'd you wanna go? I know all over this palace, on account of me being the Prince, but I guess you already knew that. It was my Birthday today."  
"I'm looking for the way out." Arthur said shortly. This boy was grinning and smiling, he was in no mood for this kind of thing. Something about Alfred shone brightly, he was like the sun that's bright rays hurt Arthur's eyes after spending so long in the darkness.  
"What- no happy Birthday? Dude, you suck! I guess I got enough happy Birthdays though- people from all around came and gave me presents, I got seven horses, and a sword and- " Alfred paused for a moment "oh yeah- you wanted the way out. I don't know why? The party's just begun! Mom left the party too for 'official business' I'm gonna go get her! The exits first left round the white building then right!"  
Arthur had already began walking of, having no further desire to converse with the hyperactive, optimistic young Prince. He was suddenly aware of how tired and painful he felt.  
"What no thank-you! Manners aren't your strong point, huh?" Alfred called after him. Before turning on his heel and leaving, laughing as he did so.

It wasn't until he'd managed to leave the castle grounds that it occurred to Arthur he'd just spoken to the boy who's mother he'd just killed. Happy Birthday, Prince Alfred.


End file.
